Force regulating system



Dec. 5, 1939. w. G. COOK 2,182,659

FORCE REGULATING SYSTEM Dec. 5, 1939. w. G. cooK FORCE REGULATING SYSTEM 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1938 |NvENT oR Wil/ara G. bo/f.

WITNESSES:

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Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNETED STATES FORCE REGULATING SYSTEM Willard G. Cook, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignorfto Westinghouse Electric '& Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 25, 1938, Serial No. 209,974 11 claims. (01." 80-35) My invention relates, generally, to force regulators and operating systems therefor, and, more particularly to means for extending the range of forces thatmay be provided by any fluid pressure operated force producing device, such, for instance, as fluid pressure operated strip tensioning devices and the like.

It is common practice to provide predetermined adjustable forces for operating various mechanisms by actuating a piston by means of a iluid, such, for example, as air under pressure and regulating the air iluid pressure applied to the piston by means of an adjustable pressure-regulating reduction valve connected in the fluid conduit between a source of fluid pressure and the piston cylinder.

However, the present air pressure regulating valves will not provide a suiiciently large range of air pressures to produce the rangefof piston forces necessary for the proper operation of many piston operated devices. The present pressure regulating valves will operate to provide constant secondary pressures only as low as approximately 6 pounds per square inch and will provide a range of pressures of only 10 to 1 or a maximum pressure of 60 pounds per square inch. This necessarily limits the range of forces that can be provided by a piston whose operating air pressure is regulated by such a valve, since, if the piston is designed to produce its maximum desired force under 60 pounds per square inch air pressure, the minimum constant regulated force that the piston can produce will be limited to one tenth of that maximum force. Conversely, if the piston is designed to give the desired minimum piston force, the maximum piston force will be only ten times this minimum force.

In many devices operated by an air pressure actuated piston a much greater range of piston rorces than l0 to l is required and it is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a system for operating fduid pressure actuated pistons which shall function to extend the range of forces provided by such pistons.

Another object of my invention is to provide an operating system for a pressure iluid operated piston which shall function to greatly extend the range of forces produced by the piston by pre-loading the piston.

A further object oi my invention is to provide an operating system for a pressure fluid operated piston which shall function to cause the force exerted by the piston to have a value as low as zero or even a negative value.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system for producing a wide range of tensions on astrip of material by means of a pressure roller actuated4 by an air-pressure-operated piston, whichshall function toprovide such a wide range of tensions by pre-loading the actuating piston.

' These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In practicing my invention, I provide an air pressure actuated piston for exerting an operating force, the force exerted being adjustable by adjusting the air pressure acting on the piston. In order to provide very low values of piston forces without having to regulate air pressures at very low values, a biasing force is applied to the piston so that the lowest air pressure that need be employed to produce very low, or zero, piston force is that pressure which will just balance Athe biasing force. Thus the air pressure supplied to the piston is controlled in a range in which it can be easily and accurately controlled while providing a range of piston forces which may vary from zero to any desired amount.

VrlI have disclosed one practical embodiment of my invention, wherein the pre-loaded airl pressure operated piston of my invention operates to n actuate a pressure roll in a system for maintaining a` predetermined adjustable .tension on a strip of material, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a strip ten-v sion control system in which the preferred embodiment of my air pressure operated pre-loaded piston is employed to provide any desired pressure on the tensioning roll; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are diagrammatic views of alternative embodiments of pre-loaded air pressure operated pistons which may be used in the systiem shown in Fig` 1.

Referringto Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have shown a strip 4 of material, such as steel, passing between adjacent reducing roll stands and 8 in the direction shown by the arrow. The rolls of the roll stand 6 are driven by a motor I0 which is controlled by any suitable controller as shown. The rolls of the roll stand 8 are driven bythe motor i2 through any. suitable controller as shown.

Front tension on the strip at the roll stand 6 and back tension at the roll stand 8 is providedA by a tensioning device 'l which comprises any idling roller E4 supported by an arm I6 which is ypivoted on the support I8 and has a horizontally extending arm 25J. A piston 22 `operating in a cylinder for its purpose to maintain a constant pressure upon the arm 26 through the medium of the piston 22, which pressure may be adjusted throughout a Wide range to thus provide a Wide range of adjustable constant tensions upon the strip 4. v

The deflection of the strip 4 is maintained Within the predetermined desired range by means of a regulator I I which operates to govern the speed of the motor I2 to take up or let out slack'in the strip 4 as such taking up or letting out of the slack in the strip is required.` The regulator II comprises an arm 52 attached to and movableA With the arm I6 and carrying contact elements 54 and 56. An arm 58 having a pivot 66 carries Contact element 62 in such a relation to the contact elements 54 and 56 as to alternately engage the contact elements 54 and 56 when the arm 58 is oscillated `about its pivot 66. A solenoid 64 is mechanically connected to the arm 58 to cause the arm 58 l to oscillate as the solenoid 64 is intermittentlyenergized and deenergized and the solenoid 64 is connected to` any suitable source of current represented by the conductors X and Y through a circuit which comprises conductor X, conductor 66, the coil of solenoid 64, conductor 68, resistor 'I6 and conductor I2 to conductor Y. The resistor 'I6 is shunted by the Contact element '|4 of the relay 'I6 through a circuit which comprises conductor 18, contact element 'I4 and conductor 86. A circuit for the relay 'I6 is controlled by a contact element 82 operated by the solenoid 64 and extends from conductor X, through the coil of relay 16, conductor 84, contact element 82, conductor 86 and conductor 88 to conductor Y.

It will be seen that these circuits'for solenoid 64 and relay 'I6 will cause intermittent actuation of the solenoid 64 and, therefore, the oscillation of the arm 58 to cause theA contact elements 54 and 56 to be intermittently engaged by the contact element 62. The resistor I6 is of suchvalue as to prevent suiiicient current to flow .through solenoid 64 to maintain its armature in the fully energized position but when contact element I4 is in closed circuit position, the resistance element 'I6 is shunted and allows sui'licient current to iioW in solenoid 64 to move its armature. When the full energization of solenoid 64 moves contact element 82 to closed circuit position, thev circuit of relay 'I6 is energized causing the contact element I4 to move to open circuit position, thusfremoving the shunt from the resistor I6 and causing the armature of the solenoid 64 to drop. When the armature of the solenoid 64 drops, the contact element 82 moves to open circuit position deenergizing the relay 'I6 and permitting the contact element 'I4'to again close the shunting circuit for the resistor 16. This series of actions causes an oscillating motion of the arm 58. l

The energizing circuit for the eld Winding 96 of the motor I2 extends from conductor Y, through conductor 88, conductor 92, resistors `94 and 96, conductor 98, rheostat |66, conductor |62, iield Winding 96 and conductor |64 to the conductor X. A shunting circuit isprovided for the resistor 94 which extends from conductor 88,

through conductor |66, normally closed Contact element |68 of a relay ||6, conductor II2 and conductor I I4. A shunting circuit is provided for the resistor 96 which comprises conductor |I4, conductor II2, a normally open contact element II6 of a relay |I8, conductor |26 and conductor 98. An operating circuit is provided for the relay I IU which extends from conductor X, through conductor 66, conductor |22, contact element 62, contact element 56, conductor |24, relay |I6 and conductors 86 and 88 to conductor Y. The operating circuit for relay II8 extends from conductor X, through conductors 66 and |22, contact element 62,A contact element 54, conductor |26,

' the coil of relay I|8 and conductors 86 and 88 to conductor Y. It will be seen that alternate energization of these circuits for the relays ||6 and |I8 causes these relays to alternately tend to increase and decrease the speed of the motor I2 by decreasing the flow of current in the iield coil 96 of the motor |2 as a result of moving contact element |68 to open circuit position and increasing the iiow of current in the field coil 96 of the motor I2 bythe movement of the contact element I I6 to closed circuit position. As the deflection of the strip 4 varies and, therefore, the position of arm I6 changes, the relative lengths of the periods of engagement of contact element 62 with the associated contact elements 54 and 56 will vary. This will cause variations in the speed increasing and speed decreasing effects upon the motor I2 to maintain the idler roll |4 andthe strip 4 Within a predetermined range of deflections.

The chamber of the cylinder 24 above the piston 22 is connected by means of a conducting pipe 28 to the lowpressure chamber'36 of an adjustable pressure-regulating reducing-valve 32. The chamber of the cylinder 24 below the piston 22 is connected by a fluid conducting pipe 34 to the low pressure'chamber 36 of an adjustable pressure-regulating reducing-valve 38. The high pressure chamber 46 of the regulating valve 32 is connected by a uid conducting pipe 42 with any source of relatively high pressure fluid'such as air shown as an air reservoir.

The regulating valve 32 comprises a high pressure chamber 46 and a low pressure chamber 36 with a valve 44 controlling the flow of air from the chamber 46 to the chamber 36. The chamber 36 has a flexible diaphragm 46 as one of its Walls, the diaphragm 46 being so connected with the valve 44 as to tend to close the valve under the influence of the air pressure in the low pressure chamber 36 upon the diaphragm 46. Bearing upon the diaphragm in a position to exert a force on the diaphragm opposite in direction to the force exerted by the air pressure in the chamber 36 is a spring 48 supported on one end by an adjustable member 56 which is screw threaded in the body of the valve 32 to vary the force exerted by the spring 48 upon the diaphragm. It Will be seen that with such a valve construction, when the force of the spring 48 upon the diaphragm 46 overcomes the force of the air pressure in the chamber 36 upon the diaphragm 46, the spring 48 will cause the valve 44 to open to thus permit fluid flow from the chamber 46 to the chamber 36 which, in turn, will increase the air pressure force upon the diaphragm 46 to cause the valve to close. In this manner the valve 32 will function to maintain a predetermined pressure in the loW pressure chamber 36, pipe 28 and the chamber above the piston 22 in the cylinder 24, which may be adjusted by means of the adjusting member 56. The valve 38 has on the piston 22 and, therefore, the resultantl force'exerted by the piston rod 26 upon the arm 20 will be a function of` the difference between the pressures in the upper and lower chambers of the cylinder 24. In order to provide a wide range o forces on the arm 20 and, therefore, a wide range of strip tensions, the regulating valve 33 is so adjusted as to provide approximately the least pressure in the lower chamber of the cylinder 24that the valve 38 is capable of satisfactorily regulating and maintaining. If then the valve 32 is so adjusted as toprovide an equal pressure in the chamber of the cylinder 24 above the piston 22, it will be seen that the resultant force exerted by the piston 22 on the arm 20 will be zero, since the resultant force on the piston is zero. If now it is desired to provide a predetermined tension on the strip 4 and to maintain this tension, it is only necessary to` adjust the valve 32 so as to provide a pressure in the chamber of the cylinder 24V above the piston 22 which will be suiciently above the pressure in the lower cylinder chamber to p-rovide the desired resultant force on the arm 20.

Thus the range of eiective pressures is from 'f zero pressure to a pressure equal to the difference between the highest pressure that the valve 32 can provide and the lowest pressure that the valve 38 properly and eiiiciently regulate. If a p higher value Vof pressure provided by the regupressure when the regulated pressure provided by the valve 32 is caused to equal the biasing pressure provided by the valve 38, and up to a positive elective pressure equal to the ldifference between the highest regulated pressure that can be provided by the valve 32 and the biasing pressure provided by the valve 38. It is understood that in suchsystems the piston 22 is so dimensioned with respect to the cylinder 24 as to permit leakage past the piston and the piston rod 23 is so dimensioned with respect-to. the opening in the wall of the cylinder 254 as to permit leakage past the piston rod so that there is a continuous flow oi air from the cylinder to provide the necessary decrease in pressure in the cylinder when decrease in the force on the arm 20 is required.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings there is shown a` modification of the device of Fig. l which varies from the embodiment of Fig. l only in the form of the iiuid pressure operating device which provides the actuating orce for the arm 20. `It is to be understood that the elements of structure in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 may be substituted for the corresponding elements oi structure in the complete system shown in Fig. l. and the corresponding elements of structure in the three gures have the same reference characters. Referring to Fig. 2, the adjustable pressure regulating reducing valves 32 and 38 provide operating and biasing forces on the piston rod 23 by providing regulatable constant pressures `on the pistons |28 and sure which can be properly regulated by the valve 38 is supplied to the cylinder |34 through the air conductor 34, a biasing force will be vpro-` vided which is equal to this pressure multipliedk zero when the product of the pressure provided by the valve 38 andthe area of the piston |30 is equal'to the pressure provided by the valve 32 multiplied by the area ofthe piston |28. By selectively varying the pressure provided by the valve 32, the eflectve force on the arm 20 'may be increased to a maximum of the diierence between the maximum pressure which can be 4|30 in cylinders |32 and |34, respectively. It willv be seen that when substantially the lowest presprovided by the valve 32 multiplied by the area of the piston |28, and the product of the pressure provided by the valve 38 and the area of the piston |33. Thus the range of tensions on the stripy 4 has been greatly extended by providing much lower tensions than it has hereto been possible to produce. v

In Fig. 3 another means for providing a preloading or biasing force to the arm 20 is shown. In

this embodiment a single adjustable pressure regulating reducing valve 32 is provided for sup-v plying, through an air conductor 28, `a selectable variable pressure on the piston |36 in the cylinder |38. 'Ihis means comprises a weight |40 acting through a iiexible cord |42 over the rollers as shown to provide an upward vertical biasing force on the piston rod |44 which is attached to the arm 20, In this modification the biasing or preloading force is equal to the weight |40 and zeroy force on the arm 20 may be provided by so adjusting the air pressure supplied by the valve 32 to the cylinder |38 to make the product of the pressure times the area of the piston |36 equal to the weight |40. i

, It is to be understood that the principles of the invention disclosed herein may be extended to other uid pressure operated apparatus where a wide rangel of effective pressures or resultant forces is desired and that the invention is not limited to the specific rapplication of the principles of my invention to the strip tension regulating system disclosed herein. VIt is also to be understood that the preloading or biasing forces discussed in the description of my invention need not be limited to biasing weights or biasing forces provided by uid pressure operated pistons but may be provided by such force producing devices as springs, solenoids.'A torque motors or' equivalent devices. v f .4

In compliancewith the requirements of the patent statutes l' have shown and vdescribed herein the preferred embodiments of my invention. It is to be understood,r however,r that the invention is not limited to the precise constructions herein described but is capable of modification by one skilledv in the art, the embodiments herein shown being merely illustrative of the principles of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for producing tension rina strip of material as it passes between adjacent work devices, roller means disposed to engage the strip .to produce lateral displacement of the stripd and a pressure iiuid operated device, a source of uid under pressure, pressure regulating means between said pressure uid operated device and said source of fluid pressure, and means biasing said j. pressure iiuid operated device for movement in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the device by the regulated pressure, the force of said biasing means being at least equal to the force exerted upon said pressure uid operated device when the fluid pressure on said pressure fluid operated device is the minimum that can be properly regulated by said pressure regulating means.

2. In a tandem strip rolling mill, an idling roller mounted for movement with respect to the normal pass line of the strip to produce lateral displacement of the strip and subject it to a tension and means for producing said lateral movement comprising a pressure fluid actuated piston, a pressure regulating reducing valve for regulating the iiuid pressure applied' to said piston, and means biasing said piston for movement in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the piston by the regulated pressure uid, the force of said biasing means being at least equal to the force exerted upon said piston when the fluid pressure on said piston is the minimum that can be properly regulated by said regulating valve.

3.In a tandem strip rolling mill, an idling roller mounted for movement with respect to the normal pass line of the strip to produce lateral displacement of the strip and subject it to a tension and means for producing said lateral movement .comprising a pressure fluid actuated piston, a

pressure regulating reducing valve for regulating the iiuid pressure applied to said piston. andv means biasing said piston for movement in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the piston by the regulated pressure fluid, the force of said biasing means being at least equal tothe force exerted upon said piston when the uid pressure onsaid piston is the minimum that can be properly regulated by said regulating valve, said biasing means comprising pressure fluid actuated means acting upon said piston.

4. In a strip rolling mill, an idling roller mounted for movement with respect to the normal pass line of the strip to produce tension in the strip by lateral displacement of the strip from its normal pass line, a double acting pressure iiuid operated piston and cylinder device connected to produce said lateral movement of said idling roller, means providing a substantially constant fluid pressure on one side of said piston to bias said piston to move said roller-in a direction opposite to the strip displacing direction of movement, and means providing a fluid pressure on the other side of said piston to move said piston against said bias in the strip displacing direction.

5. In a strip rolling mill, an idling roller mounted for movement with respect to the normal pass line of the strip to produce tension in the strip by lateral displacement of the strip from its normal pass line, a double acting pressure 'fluid operated piston and cylinder device connected to producesaid lateral movement of the idling roller, means providing a substantially constant fluid pressure on one side of the piston to bias said piston to move the roller in a direction opposite to the strip displacing direction of movement, and means providing a fluid pressure on the other side of the piston to move said piston against the bias in the strip displacingI direction, said means providing a fluid pressure on the other side of the piston comprising a pressure regulating reducing valve, and the biasing pressure on the one side of the piston being at least as great as the lowest pressure which the regulating valve is capable of properly regulating.

6. In a strip rolling mill, an idling roller mounted for movement with respect to the normal pass line of the strip to produce tension in the strip by lateral displacement of the strip from its normal pass line, a first pressure iiuid operated piston for producing a force in the direction of said lateral displacement of said idling roller, and a second pressure uid operated piston for producing a substantially constant biasing force opposite to the force produced by said first piston.

7. In a strip rolling mill, an idling roller mounted for movement with respect to the nor mal pass line of the strip to produce tension in the strip by lateral displacement of the strip from its normal pass line, a first pressure fluid operated piston for producing a force in the direction of said lateral displacement of said idling roller, a second pressure fluid operated piston for producing a biasing force opposite to the force produced by said rst piston, a pressure regulating reducing valve for regulating the uid pressure on said rst piston, and means providing a substantially constant iluid pressure on the second piston of such a value as to effect a biasing force at least equal to the force exerted by the rs't piston when acted upon by the smallest pressure which said regulating valve can properly regulate.

8. In a strip rolling mill, an idling roller mounted for movement relative to the normal pass line of the strip to thus bear against and tension the strip, a pressure iiuid operated piston v for pressing said roller against the strip, a fluid pressure regulating reducing valve for regulating the iiuid pressure on said piston, and a Weight operating to bias said piston in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said piston under the influence of said fluid pressure, said Weight operating to provide a biasing force at least equal to the force exerted on the piston by the fiuid pressure When the value of said uid pressure is the least that the regulating valve can properly regulate.

9. In a control system for a pressure iluid operated device, a pressure fluid operated piston, means for regulating the iiuid pressure acting on one side of said piston, said regulating means comprising an adjustable pressure-regulating reduction valve, and means for maintaining a continuous substantially constant biasing fluid pressure on the other side of said piston, said biasing pressure being at least equal to the lowest fluid pressure that the reducing valve isA capable of properly regulating.

10. In a control system for a pressure fluid operated device, a pressure fluid operated piston, means for regulating the uid pressure acting on said piston comprising an adjustable Pressureregulating reduction valve, and means applying a continuous substantially constant biasing force to the piston, said biasing force acting in the opposite direction to the fluid pressure and being at least as large as the force exerted on the piston by said pressure fluid when the iiuid pressure is the smallest that the reducing valve can properly regulate. d

11. In a strip rolling mill, an idling roller mounted for movement relative to the normal pass lineof lthe strip and means for providing pressure force on the piston is Iess than the said biasing force to such a value as will provide any desired strip tension, so that said roller may be moved away from the strip and against the strip with any desired force by properly adjusting the 5 fluid pressure acting on the piston.

WILLARD G. COOK. 

